Navigating Florida’s Marijuana Laws

Right now there are 33 states that have some form of legal marijuana,whether for medical use,recreational use,or both. Florida in one of those states. Medical marijuana has been legal in Florida since 2014,but for residents of the sunshine state trying to figure out marijuana laws in Florida can cause a headache that only psychedelic plant could treat.

When Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2014 there were some restrictions imposed. Medical marijuana was legalized,but only low THC strains. THC,of course,is the chemical component in marijuana that gets you high. However,it was high in cannabidiol a chemical shown to help with seizures. The 2014 law only made that marijuana available to patients with epilepsy or other specific conditions.

Then in 2016,an expansion to the law known as Amendment 2 passed that made medical marijuana available to terminal patients no matter what level of THC it contained. The amendment stated that people suffering from HIV,Aids,Chrons disease,cancer,Parkinson’s disease,epilepsy,glaucoma,PTSD,multiple sclerosis,ALS,or “medically debilitating condition” could get a prescription for medical marijuana ( DUI lawyer ).

In some cities,most notably Orlando,small amounts of recreational marijuana have been decriminalized. A small amount of marijuana in Orlando is considered anything under 20 grams. However,if a person is found with a small amount of marijuana or paraphernalia on their person a police officer can still give them a citation. The citation comes with a $100 fine for a first offense,$200 for a second offense,and $500 as well as the possibility of appearing in court for repeat offenses.

Contrary to what some rumors have suggested there is nowhere in Florida where recreational marijuana has been legalized. Unlike some other states,patients of medical marijuana are not allowed to grow and cultivate their own marijuana plants.

In short,medical marijuana is legal for terminal patients if a doctor feels that the benefits of the treatment would out outweigh the negative consequences and the recreational possession or growing of any kind is still illegal. If you get in trouble due to marijuana use or possession in Flordia,be sure to reach out to a good how to beat a DUI .